India is a diverse nation with many communities living together in harmony. There is respect for all religions here in this beautiful nation and that is why the different festivals that are expressions of the rich culture and religion co exist here in peace. One of the historically rich states of India is Andhra Pradesh where people have a very vibrant way of celebrating life. They are very proud of the rich culture and the colorful festivals that are observed in their state. One such very popular festival in this amazing place is the Sammakka Saralamma Jatara. This tribal festival is also known as the Medaram festival because the Jatara actually starts at Medaram of Warangal district. It is a time to remember the courageous mother and daughter, Sammakka and Saralamma who fought against the injustice done by the rulers. This fabulous festival is concentrated in the Telangana region of the state than as compared to other parts of Andhra Pradesh. The event is a time when the people honor the goddesses who are believed to look after the place and the people. The Jatara is said to attract the largest crowd after the famous Kumbh mela.
The Jatara that is held here is the largest tribal religious congregation in the world that takes place every two years. It is estimated that more than 10 million people visit here in a span of 4 days. It is believed that during this period of four days, the goddess of the tribal people visits them. Since it is the largest tribal religious meet, many tribal groups from other parts of India such as from Orissa, Chattisgarh, M.P., Karnataka, Maharashtra and parts of Jharkhand ensure to come here during this period.
A very important ritual done here is that people offer gold jaggery called Bangaram that is equal to their weight to their deities to please them and also take holy bath in a stream called Jampanna Vagu. All of these rituals are conducted without the presence of a Brahmin priest or pundits, seen very rare otherwise in India. Another ritual is that the goddess Sammakka is covered in vermillion and brought from the village of Chilukalagutta while the goddess Saralamma is brought from the village of Kanneboyinapalle. They are beautifully decorated and place on holy platform which is called as the Gaddelu. It is during this time the devotees take a holy dip in the holy Jampanna Vagu. Another traditional ritual of the festival is that the devotees sacrifice their cattle, usually the goats and cocks to please the goddesses.
During the festival the crowd is so huge that it is said there are more chances of people losing their valuables. Everybody is happy and is very proud to call themselves a part of Tribal community. They show immense enthusiasm and energy on the event and make sure they have a great time while they also engage in ritualistic activities. Children and adults wear new colorful attires and spend the day happily. They also indulge in singing the hymns of Sammakka and Saralamma and having a delicious meal together and in this way end the day with a happy note.